30% cut in people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance in Kirklees in just one year

A total of 203,000 people were unemployed in the region between May and July, giving a jobless rate of 7.3%

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The number of people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance in Kirklees has fallen by a third in just one year.

Latest figures out today show unemployment in Yorkshire fell by 25,000 in the three months to July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The region saw the largest fall in the unemployment rate since 2010 of all UK regions – down by 2.3%.

A total of 203,000 people were unemployed in the region between May and July, giving a jobless rate of 7.3%.

Nationally, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) has fallen below a million for the first time in six years, the figures showed.

The claimant count fell for the 22nd month in a row in July by 37,200 to 966,500, according to the ONS – the first time the figure has been below a million since September, 2008.

Among local parliamentary constituencies, the claimant count for Huddersfield last month fell by 17 to 2,504 with the tally for Colne Valley down by 84 to 1,495 and the total for Dewsbury 36 lower at 1,929.

Ann Sykes, Jobcentre employment and partnership manager for Calderdale and Kirklees, said 7,978 people across Kirklees claimed JSA last month – down by 4,143 on August, 2013. The number of young people claiming JSA was down by 1,500.

She said the next few months were also looking positive on the vacancies and recruitment front. Jobcentre staff are helping to fill vacancies for staff at retailer The Range, which has taken the former Homebase site at Great Northern Retail Park in Huddersfield, and recruit Christmas staff for parcel delivery firm UPS in Dewsbury along with retailers including Argos and Boots.

Fox’s Biscuits at Batley is among food and drink firms promoting work experience opportunities in September as part of the industry’s Feeding Britain campaign.

Jobcentre staff will also be man a pop-up shop on Thursday, September 25, at Queensgate Market in Huddersfield to encourage people with health issues and receiving Employment Support Allowance to meet employers who can help them towards the jobs market.